The goal of the project is to facilitate the participation of children and young people in policy-making at the national level. The goal is to develop methods, gather best practices and produce training materials on child participation and to provide relevant training for public authorities. The project in Finland is part of the joint European CP4Europe project, which is coordinated by the Council of Europe.

7.11.2025 | A new survey will open on Monday 10 November, giving pupils in years 5–9 the chance to share their thoughts on what is important. Their responses will help us as we prepare for the next government term.

17.2.2023 | Children and young people have the right to participate and be heard in matters that concern them. The project of the Ministry of Justice has developed methods, compiled good practices and produced communication and training materials on the participation and consultation of children and young people, aimed at authorities.

9.4.2021 | The Ministry of Justice has launched a two-year project, Voice of Children and Young People in Europe, to support the participation of children and young people in policy-making at the national level. The project will develop methods, gather best practices and produce training materials, and will also provide training on the participation of children and young people for public authorities.

Recognition And Enforcement Of Decisions On Child Custody And Right Of Access The enforcement of a decision on child custody and/or right of access in a foreign country requires usually the existence of an international treaty. If a decision canno...

New legislation on sexual offences The new legislation on sexual offences entered into force on 1 January 2023. The legislative reform strengthens everyone’s right to sexual self-determination and personal integrity. The key change is that the def...

One of the objectives set out in the Government Programme is to promote democracy and human rights education and the participation of young people and to reinforce the obligation to consult young people. The task of the coordination group is to monitor and support the planning and implementation of the measures.

Democracy policy The goal of the Government's democracy policy is to address topical democracy-related challenges and ensure that citizens are provided with opportunities for participating and exerting influence in society. Promoting democracy is ...

The Government Programme states that preparation of a cross-administrative democracy programme shall be launched. The National Democracy Programme 2025 covers the numerous measures related to civil society and participation outlined in the Government Programme of Prime Minister Marin. It will function as an umbrella for democracy-related projects to be carried out by different ministries.

From 1 December 2020 to 30 November 2021, the Ministry of Justice will implement the Election Pool project, which will support elections and cooperation between authorities. The project is funded by the European Commission’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship (REC) Programme. The objective of the project is to strengthen cooperation among authorities and cooperation with social media in addressing election interference and improving election preparedness.

Child Welfare In Cross-Border Situations This section contains information on the procedures, legislation and agreements related to cross-border situations concerning child welfare. Child welfare falls within the mandate of the Ministry of Social ...

Administrative sector The administrative branch of the Ministry of Justice is extensive. Less than 10,300 people work in the administrative branch, most of them in courts. The Ministry guides and directs the operation of the agencies and public bo...

Civil society and voluntary activities The Advisory Board on Civil Society Policy (KANE), operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice and appointed by the Government for four years at a time, is responsible for fostering cooperation an...

Crime prevention Crime prevention aims to reduce crime and its harmful effects and to increase safety and the sense of security in society. Crime prevention refers to a broad set of long-term activities taken to reduce the risk of crimes, disrupti...

News Language Report discusses realisation of linguistic rights Type: Press release Publication date: 15.1.2026 13.32 Proposal for a new Arbitration Act sent out for comments Type: Press release Publication date: 18.12.2025 12.16 Survey to gather ...

Department for Democracy and Public Law The Department for Democracy and Public Law is responsible for tasks related to fundamental rights policy, legislation in the field of public law, and implementation of electoral and other participatory righ...

EU funding programmes for 2021–2027 In 2021–2027, EU funding in the area of justice will consist of two different funding programmes: the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) and the Justice Programme. Together, these programmes ...

The organisation of the Ministry of Justice The Ministry of Justice is headed by the Minister of Justice. The Permanent Secretary directs the Ministry's activities together with the Minister of Justice. There are four departments at the Ministry: ...

In accordance with the Government Programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin, an act on a transparency register will be enacted in Finland on the basis of parliamentary preparation and in consultation with civil society. The purpose of the act is to improve the transparency of decision-making and, by doing this, to prevent undue influence and reinforce public confidence.

Advisory Board on Civil Society Policy (KANE) The Government has appointed a new Advisory Board on Civil Society Policy (KANE) for a four-year term from 27 January 2022 to 26 January 2026. The Advisory Board on Civil Society Policy works under the...